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Winterize or run it???


speedfrk39

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Bad thing about constantly starting it during the winter to run a bit is condensation gets inside and stays inside. It's really easy to add fuel stabilizer in fuel tank, and put it on bike stands. You can pull the battery out later even when you feel like it and put it on a battery tender. Too each their own though, it's your bike. :cool:

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  • 3 years later...

If you choose to run it preiodically remember to run it so the motor thoroughly warms up. Riding it, make it a minimum of 20 miles or so it warms it all the way. Helps keep moisture/condensation from forming in the crankcase.

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+1 The battery only gets charged once you hit 4k RPM's so you're not doing anything good for your battery. Mines sits in a climate controlled garage. No stabil this winter but I have used it in the past.

THIS!!

People think staring their bikes in winter is a good idea. It is not. You need a certain RPM range and load placed on the bike or it is just draining your battery.

I've NEVER used Stabil or anything like that in my fuel. I drain the tank and change the oil in the spring and run it. I remove the battery every winter and put inside and will even check the charge or use a Battery Tender or similar, but usually never needed.

I have never had a garage that is above freezing, either. Been doing this with race bikes and street bikes since 1989... I think since the several bikes I've owned, I've had one have a bad battery that needed replaced after winter storage.

NOW!! Note I haven't had a bike for several years at a time so, it may be a moot point in my suggestion.

But, I would put clean fuel in it, as long as the oil is due to be changed, leave that in and remove the battery. I always covered mine, plugged the exhaust and because I usually had the bodywork off from cleaning and prep, I would tape the inlets on the ram air to avoid nesting mice. That's why I also plug the exhaust...

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If it is a street bike with antifreeze, I tend to ride it whenever it gets above 60 deg.

My track bike I tend to drain it, fill the tank with Stabil added and unhook the battery. Oh and put it up on stands. Some times I even take the wheels off and put them in the basement, depending if the tires are in good enough shape for a track weekend or not. Race tires seam to dry rot easy in the cold.

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What if you fill it with gas and the required amount of stabil, run it for like 20 miles, then drain the tank before storage? Reason being I still have not fixed the small gas leak on my tank and I don't want it leaking the whole winter in my grandparents garage. I bought a nice siphon that has a pump on it so I was just gonna drain the gas into a gas can since it has stabil in it already but everyone has said to fill the tank.

Edited by JStump
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I never put away for winter, good antifreeze a must. Ride in good weather and conditions, no salt or grit on the road. Wait for a good rain after salt & ride once streets are dry. Rode around 1000 miles between November and March. last winter.

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  • 3 weeks later...
I never put away for winter, good antifreeze a must. Ride in good weather and conditions, no salt or grit on the road. Wait for a good rain after salt & ride once streets are dry. Rode around 1000 miles between November and March. last winter.

+1

the only time im not riding is when the conditions are truly not safe at all.. think about it.. lets say you park it half way through december, and being in ohio you get the random day in january when its 60 outside.. a good 20-30 mile ride is all you need.. youll have more then plenty of randomly good days through the winter to ride if you cant do the 30 degree temps..

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